Means for exterminating rodents



Sept. 26, 1950 P. J.'OSULLIVAN mams FOR EXTERMINATING RODENTS Filed A ril 15, 1946 v 3 l-wwvliob Paa/JOUa/Zivarz Patented Sept. 26, 1 950 [1,;

MEANS FOR EXTERMmaTI-NGB IS Paul J. 'osullivarfi-ilos Angeles, Calif. I v Application April 15, 1946, Serial No. 662,391

2 Claims. (01. 4a 125) This invention relates to a new means for exterminating rodents and the like, and particularly where the rodents are under ground or in places where they can be subjected to poisonous gases and the like.

I have discovered that in the motion picture industry there is a great deal of motion picture film which is discarded as junk and also that there is other material of the some or similar kind, such as X-ray and photographic film and pyroxylin plastics, commonly called Celluloid, which can be effectively used for this purpose, and I have invented a way of making use thereof.

If, for example, we take a roll of picture film, and secure it against unwinding, and then push the center out some distance, We form a conical body with a conical chamber in its larger end. This conical body, with, or without other compositions placed in the conical chamber formed therein, can be placed in a tube or container of the proper size and forms a cartridge which can be used in holes or other places where the rodents live or may be found, and when ignited, the film burns and throws off poisonous gases in said hole or other place.

In order to explain my invention more in detail, I have illustrated it on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a cartridge made according to my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, between the end cap and the end of the roll of film therein;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, between two rolls, and indicating a filling of chemical composition used in connection with the conical chamber formed in the conical roll; and

Figures 4 and 5 are end views of the finished cartridge.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my invention as here illustrated for explanatory purposes includes a roll of material such as a picture film, designated 6, with a sheet of adhesive 1 pasted thereon over the end, and then the center of said roll is pushed out to form the conical extension 8, thus forming therein a conical chamber 9, at the large end of said roll, as indicated.

In the drawing I have shown a second roll of film, designated [0, which is provided with a holding adhesive II, and this roll is not extended as is the first one.

A tubular member I2, of the proper size to receive said rolls, is shown in longitudinal sectional view with the two rolls of films in place therein,

with a disc or cap closure 13 at one end, and at the other end a closure M is shown, with openings I5 therein, for igniting the material when it is to be used. As a means of closing this end, I have shown a small piece of film with the marginal holes l5 therein, and with a retaining ring 16 used to retain the closure in place, as will be understood from the views in Figs. 1 and 5.

In the enlarged view in Fig. 2, I have indicated how the film is rolled and how it forms a central opening therethrough and through which the poisonous gases may pass as they are developed.

In Figs. 1 and 3, I have indicated how a chemi-' cal composition, such as calcium and sodium cyanide, arsenic, cresote, and the like can be used as an addition element or ingredient to increase the eifectiveness of the cartridge as an exterminating means. The chemical filler is designated I! in both places, and can be any suitable composition, as may be desired, or found most ellective. My means of forming a, burning cartmdge with a roll of film or other suitable material, and confining it in a tubular body which can be inserted into a rodent under ground hole or conduit, is believed to be new and highly useful.

The cartridge, as thus prepared, is ready to be inserted into a hole or other place where the rodent may be hiding, and just asit is inserted,

a lighted match is applied to the end having the openings l5, and it is pushed into said hole or hiding place, for the purpose described.

I do not, however, limit my invention to the exact details of construction and arrangement,

or of the materials referred to, here shown for explanatory purposes, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims forming'a part of this application.

I claim: 1. A rodent exterminating cartridge including in combination: an outer cylinder container, a'

roll of combustible picture film having its central portion pushed out at one end to form a conical portion at one end with its other end having formed therein a chamber, a chemical composition for producing a poisonous gas placed in said chamber, and closure members in the opposite ends of said cylindrical container, one of said tion at one end with a chamber formed in the opposite end, a secondroll of similar material with its ends uniform and substantially the same in size as the large end of said first r011, said rolls being inserted into said container, said second roll covering the larger end of said first roll, a chemical composition for producing a poisonous gas in the chamber formed in the large end of said first roll, closure members in the opposite ends of said container, one of said members having means for permitting ignition of said cartridge.

PAUL J. OSULLIVAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Hara Oct. 12, 1897 Whitney Sept. 25, 1906 Hitt Mar. 8, 1910 VanMeter Oct. 3, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. 27, 1936 

